Pay Attention to the Nudge
Regardless of religious background, people often describe a moment when they feel a “nudge” from God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. I had one of these experiences, which I wrote about in my book, “Benedictions Given to an Ordinary Woman,” in Chapter 4, “Coffee and God,” on page 29.
I sat in a coffee shop in a suburb of the cities, while a friend was going through the coffee line.
I was minding my own business when I overheard a couple at the table next to me…I listened. The woman was describing feelings of depression and anxiety, yet she had musical talents and expressed a desire to share her talents with others one day. The man sitting with her acknowledged her musical abilities and supported her desire to share them with others. He was thoughtful, soft-spoken, and supportive of her as she sounded in tears.
It was a weekend away from work and a girls' trip, and for some reason, hearing this woman's plight annoyed me, so I did what I always do: I assessed and diagnosed her in my mind! It was my job as a mental health therapist to assess and diagnose people who came in for counseling, so I had an identifiable diagnosis for insurance purposes.
But when I heard a voice say, "Tell her,” I shook my head as a way of clearing my mind, and I was puzzled. Why would I hear a voice at all? After a few minutes, the voice in my head again said, “Tell her.” My friend returned to the table, and by this time, I was shaking and trying to quietly tell her what I had heard in my head. When the voice came again, I quietly barked back in my mind, “No, I do not want to interrupt them, and it’s not my problem, so leave me alone!”
I wondered who I was talking to, and the thought that perhaps I now had to diagnose myself, as I was hearing auditory hallucinations! Then I wondered if that really was God? What was I doing yelling back at Him and telling Him I would not do what He was instructing me to do? I was scared now, so I ran to hide in the women’s bathroom. I prayed to God, and there was no reply. I felt relieved and thought this had passed.
Suddenly, I felt a force pushing my back. It was so strong it pushed me up and almost out the door when I finally felt a panic inside, an urgency that I MUST get out there now and tell the woman what God told me to tell her before they left the coffee shop! I felt panicked, yet driven!
As I approached their small table, I softly touched the woman’s arm and introduced myself, and explained that God had given me a message for her. I told her, “She was strong and brave. I told her to follow her heart and that she was a genuine person and that she would be alright.” The man stood up and introduced himself as a Minister of Music at their church, and the woman spoke her first name. Their mouths dropped open, and I was filled with embarrassment, so I stated I needed to go and all but ran out of the coffee shop.
That day, I learned it was the voice of God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit, and I asked for forgiveness for having ignored God. I don’t ignore God now; after all that, I sit up, listen, and try to discern the message. That experience changed my life, as did the other 13 spiritual experiences I’ve had that I’ve written about in my book.
Shalom, shalom
~Kristin Gedstad